Frosted Faces Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization dedicated to delivering solutions to fulfill the promise of family and adequate veterinary care for senior animals whose love and lives are in jeopardy.

The Frosted Faces

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Enjoy scrolling through all of our Frosted Face senior animals who have benefit from our mission at Frosted Faces Foundation. They are listed in order of date of rescue, including those that have passed. If you have been following a certain Frosted Face's story and would like to know how he/she is doing, please email us at friends@frostedfacesfoundation.org.

Please make note of animals still looking for families as their "Family" is listed as "Frosted Faces Foundation." View their biographies and more photos at Available Frosted Faces, and learn more about becoming a family and the different programs we offer. You can also help fund their care, by registering as their monthly sponsoring Fan.

Lucy

Tribute: My heart melted when I first saw Lucy (fka Baby) at the shelter. I believed she should come into our family and I was so happy when we were chosen. At 16 years of age I knew she wouldn’t be with us more than a year or so, but I did not expect 3-short weeks. In that little time my husband and I both had our bonding moments with her, like her first attempt to give me a kiss with her funny little jaw or the time she just laid her head on my chest and sighed. How could anyone not love her?

She gave us a few scares in the time we had her, but we still recognized her will and so desperately wanted to give her something to live for. We saw her getting weaker and prayed we still might get to do that for her. Although her seizures seemed to be under control for the last week we saw her getting weaker and needing more help. Lucy would fall and we would have to help her get back up and then we noticed her breathing was becoming heavy and labored. The last few days I was hand feeding her and poor old lady was doing face and butt plants into her water bowl.

For one little time she was mine and I loved her with my whole heart. Lucy you are safe forever now and soon a new dog will need me, but you will be in my heart forever and ever.

Harley

Acquired from: Los Angeles Animal Care Control: DowneyAge upon Rescue: 14Date of Rescue: June 4th, 2015Date of Passing: July 16th, 2015Family: Anthony & Mary SavoiaTribute: It's amazing how hard you can fall in love with somebody in just 6 weeks. When Harley arrived it was as if he had given up. His spirit was broken. But, within a couple days his tail started wagging again and he was enjoying life! He had something to live for. He had a family that loved him. We knew that even though his spirit was healed, his body was still broken. So, we made the most of the time we had. Every day was a gift. Even today... we stopped at Fiesta one last time. We sat at the waters edge, just enjoying our last moments together. Somebody came by and said "He's beautiful!" And he was. When it was time to go, I wasn't ready. But, somehow Harley knew, so he got up and walked to the car. He was ready to go. At the vets, I really wanted to run out the door, take him home and smother him in kisses for a couple more days. I really wanted to be selfish. But, I couldn't do that. I had to tell him it was okay to go. RIP my sweet Harley.

'If love alone could have kept you here, you would have lived forever.'

Jax

Acquired from: Harbor Animal ShelterAge upon Rescue: 12Date of Rescue: June 4th, 2015Date of Passing: September 24th, 2017Family: Marisa SalasFans: Noelle ForbesTribute: Yesterday, I had to say goodbye to my sweet handsome boy, Jax. I am heartbroken. 💔 His health had been declining this past month - a month ago I found a mass on his gums that would randomly bleed & sometimes hard to stop, a week ago he started peeing blood which Dr. Lantrip is sure it was a mass in this area causing the bleeding. This was just too much for him to handle. So I held his paw, smothered him with hugs & kisses, told him how much he was loved & how handsome he was and let him go. 😢 Jax was my first FF, so I have him to thank for bringing me together with this amazingly wonderful rescue FFF. Thank you Kelly & Andy for doing what you do and thank you to his monthly sponsor(s). He was on medications from day 1 and they helped him tremendously.

He was the sweetest boy, who loved his walks, to take long deep naps, all food, belly rubs & had a thing for small fluffy dogs. I will miss kissing his smooshy face each day & the way he greeted me each time when I got home with tail wagging & lots of head nudging. He would lean into you to be petted almost to the point of knocking you over. I will miss his deep soulful eyes peeking at me over the ottoman. He loved to have his ears rubbed & would give out a long deep sigh when you started. I will miss the way he would do his "jiggy Jax" (a small jumping jesture) when it was time to eat along with his deep, loud mooing to let you know to hurry.

He was a wonderful addition to my family, my granddaughter adored him, my other FF Katy loved him, he got along with everyone & everyone who met Jax loved him. He was just a sweet soul. I will miss you beyond words my sweet lovely boy. I hope you are running, sniffing & peeing on everything. I love you Jaxson.

Morty

Nona

Acquired from: Orange County Animal Care & ControlAge upon Rescue: 10Date of Rescue: June 10th, 2015Date of Passing: December 31st, 2017Family: April SmithFans: Lisa SwitzerTribute: On the morning of December 31st, 2017 we fulfilled our promise to Nona at the age of 12 years old.

A week earlier Nona was diagnosed with what looked like a mast cell tumor with fingers on or near a lymph node causing edema. Steroids tamed the inflammation, but on the terrible morning of the 31st, Nona was rushed to South Temecula Veterinary Hospital and Pet Hotel where her body was stiff, she was unresponsive, and her temperature was rising even with hours of treatment from 106.5 to beyond. It could've been the spread of cancer, a seizure, the vet suggested these were also clinical signs for a perforated intestines, but we could not help Nona and had to let her go.

We rescued Nona from OC Animal Care on June 10th, 2015 after she came in as a very skittish stray that transformed into a confident companion.

Her mom shares, "Nona came to me a broken, an untrusting old dog. She could barely walk, needed help to go outside and wasn’t interested in becoming friends. Little by little her body healed and her personality began to come out.

I loved posting updates, especially the first time I saw her prance down the hall. It wasn’t long before she was running all over, following me around with ranch chores, and bossing everyone around. Nona quickly became the queen bee and whatever Nona wanted, Nona got. The other dogs knew to stay off Nona’s favorite bed, or she would set them straight.

Pretty soon Nona and I had a routine. Every morning she would come into the bathroom as I was getting ready for work. She would nudge my leg until I gave her hugs and kisses and told her she was Mommy’s favorite and she was special and the best angel ever. She wouldn’t leave me alone until I did this. That’s what I miss the most.

Nona was one tough, resilient soul, living through more than any dog should have to. She had to have a lump removed, an eye removed, and through it all she was strong and beautiful. I feel robbed for losing her too soon, but so thankful we found each other. I loved her more than anything and buried her under a beautiful tree next to Freckles. She loved being out there and I know she is running free now without pain."

Thank you to April Smith who stepped up for Nona and helped her to blossom! She certainly lived a life of a deserving, loved Frosted Face. Thank you to Lisa Switzer for being Nona's dedicated monthly sponsoring Fan.

Thurman

Acquired from: Apple Valley Animal ServicesAge upon Rescue: 10Date of Rescue: June 12th, 2015Date of Passing:October 4th, 2015Family: Bob & Debbie AdamsFans: Kellie Mascis NelsonTribute: Today has been beyond a VERY SAD day for us, we had to say goodbye to our SWEET SWEET Thurman. We took him to the ER last night and he had to be carried in. He was later, after many tests, diagnosed with Lymphoma in the final stages and was in pain. It all happened so fast and we were told there was nothing that could be done, so we had to let him go. SWEET Thurman was with us for less than 4 months, but the LOVE he gave and that we have for him would fill a lifetime.

Thurman was given so many happy experiences in such a short amount of time with Bob & Debbie, and goodness knows they would never admit he was dying. They just kept right along living and loving!

We would like to share the videos of their time spent together here.

Thurman on a Walk with Gabbie: https://youtu.be/0amzAXhdGTI

Thurman Learning to Swim: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKEUAoex-KI

Thurman & Gabbie on Vacation under the Umbrella on the Beach: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9UmuTvj7pU

Thurman in a Life Jacket: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVm-gJopQ5I

Thurman Visits Dad at Work: https://youtu.be/ys7FIgKX2iE

Petunia

Brock

Acquired from: Los Angeles East Valley Animal ShelterAge upon Rescue: 10Date of Rescue: June 27th, 2015Date of Passing: January 22nd, 2016Family: Toni VanstonFans: Shiloh CorbetTribute: Shelter volunteer, Toni Vanston, had fallen in love with him and wanted to be his Forever Foster! This morning, with no warning, she discovered he had passed away in his sleep and Toni called HQ so upset over her Brock. Toni said, "He was totally fine yesterday. Ate well. Enjoyed his walk. I wonder what happened. Just when he was getting comfortable around here too. He put on good weight. He went too soon I will miss him. I really loved him."

Bella

Diamond

Acquired from: Los Angeles Animal Care Control: CarsonAge upon Rescue: 12Date of Rescue: July 9th, 2015Date of Passing: April 17th, 2017Family: James & Stacey DowdellFans: Theresa Mulligan Rosenthal Tribute: "I don't know if I ever told you, my first dog that I had when I wasn't a kid I wanted a rottweiler so I got one at 16 for my birthday. Her name was Sierra and was the sweetest thing. When I grew up and got married I left her with my grandparents and my uncle because she was the family dog.

She got sick with cancer at 10 years old. She couldn't see because of it and we did chemo, but it didn't work. One day it became clear it was time and my uncle didn't tell me, and he took her to put her down, which really upset me because I wanted to be there. What's worse, I found out he didn't even stay in the room with her which crushed me.

I always wanted to foster and finally after my brother died I decided to do it because it helped me heal and I always chose rotties in memory of my Sierra."

Sierra's legacy lived on in the late Frosted Face Skylar, and now in Diamond.

Stacey reflects, "Driving to the vet confirmed what I already knew, she loves car rides and loves sitting up enjoying them, and she couldn't this time. She kept lifting her head up trying, but she couldn't lift the rest of her body and that made me so sad. I sat with her cradled in my lap and played 'somewhere over the rainbow' and 'what a wonderful world' by the late Hawaiian singer Israel kamakawiwo'ole because he has such a calming voice and beautiful songs.

I told her how much she was loved and how good she was. She licked my face and I kissed her back and held her until she was gone and stayed awhile after. I cried and I can't stop crying, but I know she is out of that body that held her back from a lot of the things she enjoyed. My heart misses her but I know it was the right thing."

Pepsi

Acquired from: Redlands Animal ShelterAge upon Rescue: 15Date of Rescue: July 20th, 2015Date of Passing: April 25th, 2017Family: Hope GaggeroFans: Joni DukeTribute: She had been purchased for a little girl at Christmas as a puppy, and relinquished to the shelter when the little girl grew up and moved out.

Pepsi's Forever Foster Family committed to her sight unseen and although she was a little nipper and pretty independent, man did they do right by her. She went on vacations, walks, trips to the dog park, they gave her the space when she needed it, and honored her behavior by letting her be the only dog when they could have taken on another. It was Pepsi's time to be treated like the gift that she was, and we are so impressed by her family that let it be so.

Her mom shared, "I want to thank you for allowing the pleasure for loving little Pepsi. She wasn't sweet in the common use of the word, but I know by her actions and her constantly being under my feet she loved me back. I respected her "quirks" and spunk and we fell in love.

I wish to thank San Diego Bay Animal Hospital for their kindness to both her and me. Their generous hearts are very appreciated.

Merlin

Acquired from: Los Angeles Animal Care Control: CarsonAge upon Rescue: 10Date of Rescue: July 21st, 2015Date of Passing: August 14th, 2017Family: Jeff & Jenn FieldhackFans: Jana Deaton, Jill DycheTribute: This past weekend Merlin contracted a terrible infection in his back left leg. After a couple of days of hospitalization, his family took him home to spend time with him awaiting the culture results. His leg ruptured, festered, and his quality of life began to diminish. The culture showed we were dealing with an infection resistant to everything, MRSP. The suggestion was to amputate his leg, but at the age of 12 years old Merlin was already nearly immobile and the vets suspect the infection was something secondary to cancer.

His family spent one more good day with him and today they let him go.

Jenn shares this important message,

"We said goodbye to Merlin today. We're so thankful to have enjoyed his company, gain his trust & give him a happy ending. Thanks to the support of Frosted Faces Foundation & all they do to rescue dogs & cats everyday, dogs like Merlin get that chance. But not all companion animals do. About 6.5 million companion animals enter U.S. shelters every year & approximately 3.5 million shelter animals are euthanized. Turn the sadness into action. It's worth every day of it. It's not about your loss but about giving these animals a good home. Adopt don't shop. Rescue. Foster."

We rescued Merlin on July 21st, 2015 from Carson shelter. Here is a video of Merlin at the shelter after being surrendered by his owners: https://www.facebook.com/savingcarsonshelterdogs/videos/452888111550495/

Thank you to his previous Forever Foster Family, Maureen Hevener, for stepping up for Merlin when he had few options. Thank you to Jeff and Jenn Fieldhack for being a class act. You made sacrifices and a commitment through the unexpected so that Merlin would know family through the end.

You better plow down those gates of heaven like you did your baby gates, Merls! You earned a spot! We love you.

Sweety

Acquired from: Coachella Valley ShelterAge upon Rescue: 15Date of Rescue: July 22nd, 2015Date of Passing: July 23rd, 2015Family: Andrea DangerfieldFans: Emily ElliottTribute: She was confiscated from her owner's home and they had cruelty charges pending. Poor Sweety from Coachella was whimpering & whining all through the night and suffered from a disease where she was unable to express her bladder causing her to not be able to walk and it was very painful. The little girl never rested, never put her head down for a second or stopped panting. As much as we wanted to show her Family, it was more necessary that we offered her peace.

Dogs live in the moment and when you look at this picture knowing Sweety's forever foster mom, Andrea Dangerfield, was lovingly draped over her when she was put to sleep and relieved of the pain, you have to know this is a last moment that is worth the efforts of rescuing a hospice dog. We will not forget you, Sweety.

Indie

Acquired from: Los Angeles Animal Care Control: DowneyAge upon Rescue: 14Date of Rescue: July 23rd, 2015Date of Passing: February 26th, 2017Family: Lynne ChristmasFans: Lisa SwitzerTribute: He was growly in his kennel and didn't stand a chance of exit, and we learned that he was simply uncomfortable and scared, but actually a nice guy!

His mom loved him the moment she saw him and could not resist. We will always remember her frequent mention of how she just had to "squish his little face." Lynne sacrificed sleeping in before work to walk one more dog of a different pace, as her three "littes" are quite fast! Indie was incontinent, so she laid down tarps, pee pads, and did a lot of laundry. We kept Indie mobile on a handful of pain medications, and frequent rounds of antibiotics to treat the site of his urethrostomy we did early last year.

Tonight words were a struggle, as his mom expressed, "Dear sweet Indie. You will never be forgotten. You will remain in my heart forever. Missing you."

She was such a little trooper and kept pulling through all the health struggles she had from the neuropathy, the episode of bloat last spring, and a few months of racing heart beats. She just kept looking more frail and was getting thinner even though she was eating roast chicken, canned KD and AD for the past couple of months.

We will miss our little Shadow. I gave her the nickname Princess a few months ago alter the bloat since she was such a stoic and charmed little pup. She kept hanging in there for us.

We will miss her greatly and we are better for having had her in our lives the past year and half.

Bear

Acquired from: Long Beach Animal ServicesAge upon Rescue: 11Date of Rescue: August 6th, 2015Date of Passing: August 19th, 2017Family: Jesse MaransFans: Angela GunnettTribute: Dedicated volunteer from Long Beach Shelter, Jesse, saw Bear languishing in his kennel and wanted to be his advocate with our help. As the rescue chant goes, "Fostering saves lives," and it did in Bear's case.

Bear struggled with a vestibular episode earlier this year, and as of late, seemed mentally dull and lost mobility. His dad works in the veterinary field, and recognized that although he has been and would carry Bear through hell and high water, Bear had no quality of life anymore.

Jesse shares, "I keep going in and out of not believing he's gone and then being really sad. My friends have been amazing and helped me pack up things and have been trying to keep me distracted.

I cannot thank you enough for putting him in my life. He has changed my life in more ways than I can describe. It's going to be incredibly hard to come home and not have him there, but his memories will always be there to keep me smiling.

He got me through a very tough year and I will forever be gracious to you and him. I've learned so much from him in the past two years and cannot wait to spread that wisdom to the animals I will treat during and after vet school.

I have sad news. On Wednesday, we helped Rose cross the Rainbow Bridge. We took her in to Mohnacky Vet in Carlsbad Wednesday morning, and after several tests and discussions with the doctor, Kelly, and a lovely Mohnacky advisor, we decided it was better to say goodbye to Rose. She was in diabetic ketosis, had an unknown infection, and had lost her will to keep going with us.

Rose joined our family in September 2015 after she had vacations at HQ with Kelly and Andy and with Kelly Marquez and Brent. Kelly and Brent are amazing with dog diabetes and taught us how to monitor and give Rose her insulin. We were never able to stabilize her levels, and it took its toll on sweet Rose.

Rose was the sweetest dog I've ever met. Even though she was blind, she quickly made herself at home in the house and the backyard. She walked gingerly swinging her head back and forth like Stevie Wonder and never bumped into anything hard to hurt herself. Silly girl! She was safe and content in her new family.I will miss most how she joined our two other dogs in running to the front door every night to greet me when I got home from work. Watch out for her whip tail! She taught my husband that pitties can be sweet, loving, charming, and snuggly. She sounded like a grumbly bear when you snuggled with her. She taught our aloof little terrier that it's more fun to be sweet to your pack than to growl and lay by yourself. She taught our special needs pug that it's nice to snuggle with the big dog.

Samuel

Sage

Acquired from: Los Angeles Animal Care Control: DowneyAge upon Rescue: 13Date of Rescue: August 23rd, 2015Date of Passing: December 15th, 2015Family: Sheila & Lino VitaleFans: Kimberly Bonk, Lesley Howe, Reyna BojorquezTribute: She could not stand and cried to moved. Once she was up, she was up though! The late Lexi's Forever Fosters, Lino and Sheila Vitale, stepped up to the plate and were overjoyed to add another shepherd to their Family.

You have to know how special Lino and Sheila are. Some would ask, "How could Sage have a good quality of life being so immobile?" It must be said, these guys worked their asses off to give her everything. FFF donated a helpemup harness to get her to her feet and monthly pain meds, but they brushed her every night before supper, they cleaned up Sage and the floors when she went potty laying down, and they laid rugs for her to stand more easily. Sage stayed at Headquarters for two weeks while Lino and Sheila traveled, and we know Sage was their baby. They checked in on her every day, and we almost felt inadequate compared to all of the things that they wanted for her- and we thought we ran an accommodating home!

There is no doubt that Sage was surrendered because she was too difficult for her previous owners to handle, but if you met her you would know she was bright, so gentle, and full of life. Other dogs loved Sage too! They protected her, slept near her, and groomed her.

Recently Sage deteriorated where she became almost listless on her pain meds, and depressed because she would not truly stay on her feet anymore and life was not fun, probably painful. The Vitale's brought her to Family Animal Hospital and Doc agreed it was time.

Lino reflects, "She went in peace and knew she was loved. She was surrounded by her family. Us!!"

Cheers to A-mazing Forever Fosters. Cheers to allowing a senior dog to leave this world loved and with dignity. This is a love story we don't ever want to forget. We love you Sage and you will be missed dearly.

Esme

Acquired from: Los Angeles Animal Care Control: DowneyAge upon Rescue: 12Date of Rescue: August 23rd, 2015Date of Passing: August 23rd, 2017Family: Jennifer SimkinsFans: Judith Ann JohnsonTribute: Yesterday was Esme's second Frostiversary, two years from her date of rescue from Downey Shelter, her 14th birthday.

Coincidentally, yesterday Esme was also having trouble breathing. Her worried mom rushed her to the Orange Tustin Animal Hospital where they did an X-ray that showed her trachea had collapsed entirely, and there was a mass on her very enlarged loud heart. We were advised that a surgery to repair her trachea would be not be reasonable with her current conditionand that we should let her go. We devastatingly agreed.

When we rescued Esme two years ago she was hairless from a fungal infection and neither of her back legs worked. Her hips were shattered, likely from being hit by a car. In her mom's good care, and after surgery to remove significant mammary masses, Esme healed and gained the strength to walk and became furry and fiery! She was a seemingly young Frosted Face intended to outlive them all.

Her mom reflects,"Today is Esme's second Frostiversary. Today is also the day that I lost my beautiful, sweet, feisty girl. I was not ready for this. Today her trachea collapsed and she could not breathe. Actually, I couldn't breathe watching her either. I am heartbroken and in complete shock.

She came to me a physically broken little dog. Her personality was huge but her little body just didn't have it in her to continue. She squawked at the doctor and kicked her little feet as they put the needle in her little leg. That little girl's spirit was much bigger than that little broken body. Her spine was fused together from when she was paralyzed. She had an enlarged heart, a possible mass by her lungs and a collapsed trachea.

Run free sweet girl, you are now free from the confines of that old body. I love you to the moon Essie bear.

PeeWee

Acquired from: Los Angeles Animal Care Control: DowneyAge upon Rescue: 10Date of Rescue: September 3rd, 2015Date of Passing: August 29th, 2015Family: Patrick & Jessica WalshFans: Erin Tavaglione, Judith Johnson, and Tanya NielsonTribute: There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that he was surrendered on the simple basis that he urinated allover constantly.

We noticed that he struggled to urinate upon rescue. We invested in diagnostics and the grand surgery of removing his stones and bladder tumors which proved to be Transitional Cell Carcinoma. After trial and error of medication and fancy foods to treat violent vomiting and a lack of appetite for a week post surgery, we drew new bloodwork that showed that his BUN had skyrocketed to over 240 and that his kidneys were failing. The toxins in his body were building up causing him to feel very ill. We are a hopeful bunch and even as we approached our appointment today we wanted to consider dieresis. We were assured that it would not buy much time, but if we needed a few more days it was an option, but the prognosis was poor.

Let me tell you, we gave him the most beautiful last day yesterday with the help of some fluids and injections to pep him up. We didn't need one more day and PeeWee couldn't have asked for a better one.

PeeWee had a Family that eagerly wanted him the moment they saw his picture in the shelter. Patrick and Jessica Walsh corresponded with us each day at Headquarters to check in on him, they called the vets for the "what else can we do?" conversations, they drove quite a distance for him more than once to make sure that he was seen by the doctors that knew and loved him, and most valuably they knew when it was time to say goodbye in spite of the fact that they hardly had enough time to love him.

Last night his mom and dad came home to him looking very ill. We rushed him to San Diego Bay Animal Hospital and ran in-house bloodwork, diagnosing him with Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia in Dogs (IMHA). Treatment was straight forward, he had a 50% chance of turn around with a possible blood transfusion- but after just being diagnosed with MRSA in his skull and being hospitalized for unknown reasons causing him liver failure two weeks ago, we acknowledged the call for a peaceful ending.

Fred's Forever Foster writes:

"We lost our Frosted Fred. Our hearts are broken that we couldn't make him better. From the get go he battled blindness, deafness, surgery, infections, not eating and sickness. Through it all, Fred was always such a stoic and independent little dude. He had a harumphy 'I can do it myself!" attitude that was both charming and sad as I'm sure it spoke to his awful beginnings. Still, he tolerated our cuddles and let us hold him for at least 5 minute increments before squirming away with his cute little fluffy butt facing our way.

We had some good times: sniffing seaweed at the beach, strolling around Calumet Park meeting new pups, relaxing with the family, eating his favorite foods and building blanket nests all over the house. Wish we could have given him a thousand more good days but in the end we are happy to have shared our lives with him and to have had the time we did.

We are very grateful for Kelly and the Frosted Faces family. Truly an amazing bunch of people. Thank you for your love and support and for making Fred, Frosted. He will be forever remembered with love. 💗"

Nino

Luck

Acquired from: Los Angeles Animal Care Control: Baldwin ParkAge upon Rescue: 8Date of Rescue: September 20th, 2015Date of Passing: November 12th, 2015Family: Aislinn NicholFans: Wendy ArringtonTribute: When I started this short journey in September I was not looking for a foster dog. However, I just can’t help myself and am constantly torturing myself by looking at all of the poor dogs that need homes on all different types of rescue pages.

When I stumbled upon Frosted Faces I called and spoke with Kelly to inquire about who might need a home..because what’s the harm in just asking, right? When she told me about Luck I was immediately interested, but it wasn’t until I saw his picture/video on the Facebook page that I knew I had to have him. I just couldn’t stop thinking about those big brown eyes.

I feel so fortunate to have been able to have had Luck in my life for the short time that I did. He was one of the kindest, gentlest animals that I have known and was always so appreciative of everything and anything. He got along with absolutely everyone- two legged and four legged alike.

Taking on a dog with a prognosis like his I had almost no expectations. I had no idea what the future would be like and I knew that nothing was certain, especially time. Getting him I had one goal- that when his time did come I wanted him to feel loved.. and he most certainly was. Though his physical issues were always apparent, it was when he lost the sparkle in his eye that I fell in love with, that I knew there was really no decision to make- he had made it for us.

He was such a special dog and I loved him very dearly. He is very missed.

Benji

Acquired from: Los Angeles Animal Care Control: Baldwin ParkAge upon Rescue: 12Date of Rescue: September 20th, 2015Date of Passing: April 21st, 2016Family: Elaine ByrnesFans: Lisa Switzer, Kathy ConradTribute: We rescued Benji on September 20th, 2015 after he had been networked as the 9 year old dog surrendered with a heavy chain around his neck to Carson Shelter. Benji was, by far, the most evidenced neglected dog we have ever rescued. He was matted, had long finger nails, and his medical needs were clearly ignored. Most sadly, he was incredibly sensitive to touch. Over the course of the last several months, he was loved by a real family, was vetted, went on walks, chewed on bones, and got groomed.

Benji's mom writes:"What a difficult week this has been for so many of us. With a heart that is utterly shattered, I want to let you know that beloved little Benji went to Rainbow Bridge last night. When he came to us, the medical screening showed elevated kidney levels. But he seemed “normal” and hope against hope, I put it out of my mind.

Benji had so much to learn about being a dog. During our time together he learned that he would be touched, gently and with warm hands that longed to hold him. At first he allowed me to pet his back and sides, then I got to hold his ears and give scritches. Finally he was happy to have his chest and head loved at the same time. But coming up to sit next to me on the sofa wasn’t an option; he would sit on the floor, often resting his head on my feet. Ben would find his way from the kitchen to my feet in the living room, then put his damp little muzzle against my ankles. If an ear scritch or pet didn’t come quickly enough, he would face-butt again. He also learned that treats were dispensed in this location at least half the time.

While he loved spending time next to Lola, our resident Welcome Wagon Wonder Girl, he started staying in the kitchen, especially if I was moving about the house. Of course he chose to be in the middle of any activity by choosing to stay in an entry to the kitchen that was maybe 3’ wide. During our time together I’ve learned to take VERY long steps often carrying laundry, trash, etc., without so much as a fur-swish.

The kitchen was a favorite place, I’m sure, because he loved loved to eat. No matter what variety, flavor or type of food, he was always ready. But since Lola is exactly the same, she would often try to finish Ben’s while he was still eating. This sweet little peanut would always move so she could have complete access…of course, Mom intervened, but he was never cross with her. On Tuesday evening I had to go to Costco and got the one remaining roasted chicken. As soon as I came in the door, Benji was at attention and trying to sniff out where that delicious aroma was located. OMD, he loved, loved, loved the bites I was feeding him. Seriously, he almost danced between mouthfuls anxiously awaiting more of this delectable “whatever Mom is giving me.” I was thrilled to see him so happy and excited.

But…on Thursday morning I woke up to an ominous odor that I remember so well from FF Ziva’s renal failure. Benji had diarrhea and vomited during the early morning hours and it was the same color, texture and foul smell – I tried not to even go there…NO, he cannot leave!!!! We haven’t done 1% of what I promised we’d do together. It didn’t matter, Benji’s time with me was over, and I knew this.

Yesterday I had to clean him before going to work, and for the first time he allowed me to hold him. It was so bittersweet because I knew it meant he was too sick or tired to protest. Then he fell asleep against my chest and I cried. This sweet little baby gave me the gift I most treasure of our time together. Just the sweetness of being able to hold and love him.

The other gift I realize now is that of time. We had no time, but the sweet babies in shelters have even less. To know that I waited months between Ziva leaving and adopting Benji makes me a little sad – yes, I was honoring my emotional well-being, but at what cost? Please do not have unkind thoughts if I have a new FF very soon. I am not replacing anyone, but just doing a heart remodel – there must be another addition.

Thank you Kelly and Andy...and Mary Savoia for being his first Foster Mommy, and Benji's Fans Lisa Switzer and Kathy Conrad.

Diego

Sunshine

Acquired from: Los Angeles Animal Care Control: CarsonAge upon Rescue: 10Date of Rescue: October 1st, 2015Date of Passing: October 9th, 2017Family: Jim & Suzanne WagnerFans: Cherylynn Miykeilah RobertsTribute: Sunshine touched our lives in such a deep yet quiet kind of a way that's hard to describe. He was just there, quiet and often in the background, being happy, and always looking for me and happy to get some love and attention in between long naps. How do you describe a perfect restful peaceful day - nothing happens to mention yet it's quietly the best day ever. That was Sunshine

We rescued Brandy on October 7th, 2015 from Lancaster Shelter after she was surrendered by her owners. Yesterday she had a number of seizures of which we could not control and euthanasia was recommended.

Her mom shares,"We lost our Brandy girl today. She had our whole hearts from the moment she came into our lives. She was always the happiest girl no matter what life and old age brought her, and boy could she stare a hole right through you until you gave her a biscuit.

Lately she had needed a lot more attention and had become a pretty big part of my everyday routine and I’m not quite sure how I’m going to fill that void. Thank you Frosted Faces Foundation for all that you do and for bringing us this beautiful soul. We will miss you old lady."

Thank you to Patrick & Jessica Walsh for being such gentle, accommodating parents to Brandy. She was lucky to have you. Thank you to Erin Tavaglione, Tanya Nielsen, and Judith Johnson for being her dedicated monthly sponsoring Fans.

Millie

Shilo

Acquired from: Los Angeles Animal Care Control: CarsonAge upon Rescue: 14Date of Rescue: October 19th, 2015Date of Passing: July 1st, 2016Family: Bert & Kris WoodFans: Judith Traub, Judith Johnson, Lori Powers, Hazel Casillas, Lisa Switzer, Amy Seals, Debbie DeLaCruzTribute: Oh my...not what I thought we were doing today. It is with an exceptionally broken and heavy heart that I share with you that we had to let Shilo cross the rainbow bridge this morning.

I can't stop crying or second guessing myself about so many choices I made for him.He was such a booger, a character, a love bug, stubborn, entertaining, hilarious, he was a fighter and wanted to be loved.His breathing has always been an issue and when we got up today he had been laying outside on the cold pavement breathing with great difficulty and coughing. He was very weak, didn't eat any breakfast and barely drank anything. His inhaler and oxygen treatment didn't help with the breathing and the 106 degree temperature was the icing on the cake. I was able to be with him and stroke all the beautiful hair he has grown since being loved.

It's bitter sweet to know he had a great life these last months...playing in the water, eating horse poo, rolling in the green grass, being loved beyond belief, but it sure doesn't make me miss the little guy any less!Go breath deep breaths of fresh air, fill your tummy with pizza until it hurts, and run around without pain my little munchkin!"

Otis

Jay Jay

Acquired from: Los Angeles Animal Care Control: Baldwin ParkAge upon Rescue: 18Date of Rescue: October 25th, 2015Date of Passing: February 20th, 2016Family: Jenna LarsonFans: Debbie DeLaCruz, Krista Hogan, Karen Terra, Kristi Palmer, and Judith TraubTribute: Today I let my dog Jay Jay go. I say “my dog” because to me he wasn’t just a foster that I had for 3 ½ months. He was my dog and a part of my family.

It was hard from the very beginning and I changed many of my daily habits to cater to him but if I had to choose all over again, I would take him in every time. I don’t know who his family was for the first eighteen years of his life but we were his family at the end when it was important.

Last night he ate a McDonald’s happy meal and the whole family slept together on the floor with him. Today he ate bacon and cheese and stinky dog foods for breakfast (yum!). I held him in my arms as he fell asleep and took his last breath and gave him one last kiss goodbye.

I am 23 years old, only five years older than Jay Jay, and I am sad that we weren’t together for more of those years. He is the first dog I have ever had to put down and I can’t explain to you what a hard process it has been. There was no one to tell me if it was the right time or not. I may never know if I made the right decision; if I waited too long or let him go too soon. What I do know is that he took a piece of my heart with him today that I will never be getting back. I know that he was loved unconditionally. I know that I miss him more than I ever thought possible. And I know that he has made a huge impact on my life. I love you Jay Jay and I always will."

Miss Queenie Bee

Acquired from: North Central LA Animal ShelterAge upon Rescue: 10Date of Rescue: October 29th, 2015Date of Passing: September 8th, 2016Family: Lynne ChristmasFans: Brook Miller, Linda MurphyTribute: Our beautiful precious Miss Queenie Bee passed over the rainbow bridge this morning and we are heartbroken. Her dementia had been progressing rapidly and she had suffered several small seizures. We had been hand feeding her for several weeks as it seemed like she had forgotten how to eat and needed the food placed in her mouth. However she would still join the dogs greeting me at the door and would occasionally still do her bunny hops down the steps and along the street.

This morning she woke up at 5:45 and immediately went in to a massive seizure - loud barking, trying to bite, moving around erratically and totally out of control. I held her but it did not help and she was still barking loudly and moving/trying to bite when we arrived at VCA North Coast Animal Hospital the vet close to our home. They took her through to the back and medicated her and it sounded as if she was quieter however she broke through the meds and was barking in the back as we left.

After speaking with Kelly we decided it was her time to pass over the rainbow bridge and I went back to the vet to be with her. She was still agitated and barking when I arrived so the decision was confirmed. She looked so peaceful and beautiful when she passed it was so hard to leave her.

Rest in peace dear dear Miss Queenie Bee, we will always love you and miss you. We will miss your bunny hops and the way you would jump on Toby's back when you wanted to play. The way you would push your head into my hand when I was petting you was absolutely adorable.Thank you for loving us and giving us such amazing joy."

Daisy

We rescued Daisy on November 5th, 2015 after she was surrendered to Bodhi Animal Hospital for euthanasia unnecessarily. We placed her with a loving family and earlier this year had to rehome at no fault of her own. On Tuesday, January 2nd, Daisy's body said she was all done.

Her mom reflects, "I faced the dilemma that each one of us does at some point, and decided that having her here one even more day was selfish...was not about her, and so it was time.

The whole night before last, Daisy and I snuggled on the couch; she was sleeping, with the exception of two short restless episodes, and I barely slept. I held her tight and I caressed her, going over so many memories made in such a short time...too short.

Just when I think I have no more tears, my heart cracks a little more and there I am again, bawling like a baby. I'll sure miss this little rickety girl, with her crab-like walk, her occasional hop up a step, her occasional run, and that silly little bark. I think I'll miss most the times that she would just be standing in a room, looking around like she was trying to figure out what was going on, see me, jump just a little with surprise/relief/happiness, and come running the two or three feet to me so I could pick her up ❤️❤️❤️

I'm so glad to be a part of this family. I've shed more tears since I've joined you, but have had so many more smiles, so much happiness seeing all of you with all your sweeties. Please give all of them a little smooch from me and Daisy. We lost a beloved member of our little family yesterday, and my heart is broken. In the 10 1/2 months Daisy was with us, she wiggled her way deep into my heart, where I guess she'll always be.

Daisy was my knitting muse and model, and my constant lap girl. I'm not sure that Remy or Lola has noticed her absence, but I'm reminded of it every few minutes.

Loving a senior dog is easy in many ways, and so painful in others...watching them fade away, watching them lose their light, letting them go. Daisy is not my first senior, and she won't be my last and, although I've loved all my pets dearly and have grieved for them all deeply, she and Rubie will always hold special places in my heart."

Thank you to Scott Lyse and Martine Moran for writing Daisy's last chapters and making them full of love. Thank you to Karol Elwood for being Daisy's dedicated monthly sponsoring Fan.

Rosie

Acquired from: Riverside Animal ShelterAge upon Rescue: 15Date of Rescue: November 7th, 2015Date of Passing: April 20th, 2016Family: Eve HendersonFans: Lisa SwitzerTribute: Early this April morning, my beautiful Frosted Face Rosie left this earth and went to fly with the angels. Something inside went wrong so completely that even a dead-of-night trip to the emergency room couldn’t fix it.

This 15-year old cattle dog with huge brown eyes and a soft red-and-white coat limped into my life in November and took up residence in my heart and my home and my pack like she had been here before. Length of stay had nothing to do with depth of love. I loved her like I’d known her all her life.

I loved her funny walk on her pogo stick back legs, her quiet watchfulness, her special smell, her goofy food dance. She’d go into that bunny hop over breakfast, supper, treats, and Frosted Mini Wheats. Sometimes she’d get a nearly toothless grip on the Mini Wheats teaspoon and not let go, and that was one tough argument to win. She made any and every pillow look luxurious the way she burrowed into the softness, but her pink blanket was her favorite at night time, and it will always be Rosie’s blanket.

Everything hurt her, her shoulders, her legs, her back. She’d flinch at a light touch and then shake it off. She couldn’t hear much, but she’d jump up and leave the room if I coughed and she’d nearly launch whenever the dryer buzzer went off.

Rosie was half whisper, half will. She had used up so much of herself by the time she came to me that she was a whisper of who she used to be. It was will that kept her going, sheer, one-paw-after-the-other will, refusal to stay down, quiet doggedness to keep at it. By the end, though, she was all whisper. The will had run its course, and whatever got her last night hammered her hard.

She knew it before I did. I held her as she floated away without fuss, my Whisper Rosie, right up past my wet face, through the door and into the moon-lit night sky, and I hardly heard her leave. I felt it, though. Good girl, Rosie, what a beautiful girl. I love you. Oh how I’m going to miss you. Save me a spot, Rosie. When my turn comes, if I can work it, I’ll float your way with a whole box of Frosted Mini Wheats. So collar off, Rosie. Sleep sweet, little love. All done.

Lily

Acquired from: Los Angeles Animal Care Control: LancasterAge upon Rescue: 10Date of Rescue: November 14th, 2015Date of Passing: November 16th, 2015Family: Kelly & Andy SmisekTribute: We rescued Lily from Lancaster Shelter on November 14th, 2015. She was scared, chubby, and found comfort in burrowing herself under pillows or laying pressed into my chest. We lost her far too soon.

We took 10 year old Lily from Lancaster Shelter into San Diego Bay Animal Hospital the morning after her rescue for a standard shelter exit exam and a senior panel. She scavenged into a bag of nom noms on the way there, like good little doxies do, and she scurried into the vet with more confidence than we knew she had in her. We watched as doc carefully listened to her heart where he discovered she had a 4/6 heart murmur, checked her joints, looked in her ears and eyes, felt her tummy and checked her teeth. He was impressed that our little chunk looked so well. The techs took her in back to get blood and urine, and brought her back out to me.

She seemed limp, and yes sometimes the pups we bring in are just like that, but not Lily. I quickly ran her back inside and asked if she had been given a sedative for lab work. She hadn't. They spun the blood in house and did X-rays quickly which showed she was not in congestive heart failure. Lily's gums had turned white and she was tummy-gasping for air in pain. They swiftly did an ultrasound which revealed she had a large mass in her abdomen.

Bloodwork showed she had 19% hematocrit and 53,000 white blood cell count. She was one percent away from needing a blood transfusion and her WBC should be 10,000, so we knew she had a terrible infection. Doc guesses that her mass was a large cancerous uterine mass that had become terribly infected and her activity and stress of being at the vet flared up the symptoms.

They tried to stabilize her with oxygen and fluids, but we were asked to consider euthanasia as a blood transfusion or exploratory surgery in her condition would never make sense. After an honest effort, Lily was not showing signs of stabilization, so I held her little kankled chubby feet, pressed my lips against her head, and let her go. We lost Lily on November 16th, 2015.

We gave her one GREAT day out of the shelter at Headquarters. She watched a movie on my chest last night as I stroked her longs soft ears, and Andy made her a fort out of couch pillows before he left for work this morning. She got a warm respectable bath, ate yummy wet food which motivated her to creep out of any burrowed hiding spot, and Lily got to breathe fresh beach air.

We are still pretty numb and heartbroken. We notified the potential Forever Fosters, whose applications came pouring in for our sweet girl upon rescue, and they are all opting to move forward to save another life. Thank you to Susan Vermett for being Lily's Fan and generously agreeing to continue to donate in her memory.

We rescued Nellie on November 14th, 2015 from Coachella Valley Shelter. She was probably in the worst condition of any of our Frosted Faces to date, but man she had THE best attitude. Her mouth was rotting and infected all of the way to her eyeball. We did dental surgery, and cultured, cleaned and closed up her eye. Recently Nellie has been battling what we thought was a minor infection in her mouth (she has no teeth left), which we cultured and treated. The tissue raged and after biopsy, it became evident we were dealing with a fast developing oral cancer. The decision to resort to euthanasia for Nellie was as dramatic and heartbreaking as her rescue. Her mind was still bright, but the cancer was eating away at her face so that she was bleeding constantly and made eating difficult.

Her mom shares,"My little Muppet is gone.

Nellie came to visit me last night. She said that the cancer is gone and she's no longer in pain. Nellie was like a toddler, you always had to keep an eye on her. So now that she's not around I find myself thinking 'oh no, where's Nellie?' then remembering she's gone. It's weird how you find a routine with life and and now since I don't have to make sure to cut her food up into little pieces, or wipe her feet when she comes in, or clean up her mouth every few hours.

I am happy that she is no longer suffering but I miss her so much. She was the happiest little dog, she would do this little pitter patter dance when preparing her food followed by a enthusiastic bark to get me to hurry up, she would scratch on the glass to tell me she was done outside and to let her inside, she would hog the covers and snuggle tight whenever she could.

I love this [last] picture of us and I will always love her. Run free, my little muppet. Momma loves you so much and 2 years was not enough time with you."

Thank you to Alaina Kenworthy for being the committed family every shelter dog deserves. Your selflessness was endless. Thank you to Gayle Perry Dockham for being Nellie's dedicated monthly sponsoring Fan.

Mackenzie

Acquired from: Los Angeles Animal Care Control: DowneyAge upon Rescue: 12Date of Rescue: November 16th, 2015Date of Passing: February 15th, 2016Family: Laura WrightFans: Gretchen Stewart-Disch, Terry Aoyagi, Carol ChappellTribute: Said goodbye to my Li'l Mack today. She had been slowly but steadily declining and although it was hard, the kindest thing to do was to not let her suffer.

I picked Mackenzie up on my birthday November 29. I remember seeing her shelter post and had felt a strange connection to her. She was actually supposed to go to another foster but fate had her come here.

I wasn't sure what to expect. I have fostered deaf dogs and blind dogs but not deaf and blind dogs.

The CowDogs can be tough on fosters but they accepted her right away. Like they knew she was supposed to be here. They would be her eyes and ears.

She surprised me. She learned to navigate around the house and would find her way to the dog door when she wanted to go out. Always taking very cautious steps as she wanted to feel everything around her. She was tenacious and wanted to do things herself. She would make a little grunt in protest when I would pick her up to carry her around.

As I would watch her explore outside in her dark and quiet little world, feeling around with her little paws and stopping to smell things here and there, I wondered what her life was like before she came here? what she was like as a bouncy little puppy? was she someone's puppy? did she have someone that loved and cared for her? why was she left behind at the shelter? was it just because she was old? deaf? blind?

Li'l Mack your time with us was short but I hope we made it comfortable for you. I will miss hearing your little bells- the ones I had to put on your collar so I could find you. I am happy to know you spent your last days smelling flowers and enjoying the fresh air. I am happy to know you had a warm bed to rest your little head and good food to eat.

Thank you for reminding me to be present and enjoy the beautiful things, the little things that no money can buy. I hope you know that you were loved!"

Eli

It was with great pleasure for two years to care for Eli. Everyday he was happy, waged his tail and smiled. This guy had so many friends in the neighborhood.

He was never any trouble. Ever.

He was a cuddler, treat lover, sweater wearing kind of guy. My guy.

He loved to eat and I loved to prepare his food. When we started his meditation plan for enlarged heart, and seizures, he gobbled his pills as if they were treats. He made me smile several times a day.

His favorite spot was next to me on the sofa. Then it was on me. He’d lay on my chest and I’d talk to him while petting his side. He loved attention. He loved to follow me. Everywhere. Up the stairs. Down the stairs. To the bathroom.

When his time came. It was fast. Unexpected. I thought he’d get a shot and we’d be home. That wasn’t the case.

I can assure you that as he laid on my chest and I spoke to him his energy was released and he went peacefully in my arms. I was totally unprepared.

Due to the Holiday week I decided it would be best to hold off with the news.

I want to thank Kelly and Andy for trusting me with Eli. Margo Pisa for helping me when I needed it. All the girls behind the scenes that have helped with the medical. A special thank you to Eli’s sponsors, Dr Ennis at Village Vet, and Westlake Village Animal Hospital for working with FFF.

Eli had many friends on FB and I’m going to miss that. I met some wonderful friends here too.

When I get overcome with grief I calm myself with deep breath, and go back to my intention when I first got involved with FF, “ to be of service”.

I hope to be of service in the future, and am very proud and humbled to be a part of this community.

Hazel

Acquired from: North Central Animal Shelter- LAAge upon Rescue: 10Date of Rescue: November 27th, 2015Date of Passing: July 8th, 2016Family: Caprice BurnettFans: Janet HornTribute: After being hospitalized yesterday from bloat, Hazel went home seemingly in recovery. Later on she was showing signs of neurological dysfunction, such as pacing and turning to the right, and then she had grand mal seizures. Following the high of thinking she was out of the woods, this is devastating and sudden. Caprice says, "Lots of loves and squeezes for Mabes [today]," who is positively missing her sister.

We rescued Hazel (right) and Mabel without a Forever Foster initially, so they resided at Headquarters for quite some time! They accompanied us to a grant acceptance ceremony where they were loved up by all of SITE Southern California and stayed in a luxurious hotel for a weekend, they had QUITE an adventure in San Francisco for a week, frequented Fiesta Island, and then the magnificent Caprice came along and said she would love them both forever.

Caprice shares:"I lost my Hazel this morning. We all reach out to these dogs, knowing that our time together can be so short.

The heart is heavy, as it is with the passing of all those we love, but the satisfaction of knowing that we provide a safe and loving home for them during the final stage of their life is so rewarding.

I will miss seeing her excited tail wag as she attempted to follow the hustle and bustle of the rest of the pack, hearing the coming of the zombie apocalypse as she wheezed and groaned while gnawing on a bone, and trying to make sure I didn't lose a finger when handing out a treat.

A tuft of her hair has been placed with that of my 15-yr old Minnie that I lost as a senior, my Magaliscious kitty that I lost to cancer, and my ever so beloved ferret, Archie. When I retire and relocate, they will be place under a brand new rose bush to bloom forever.BOWR-ROWR-ROWR. RIP my Hazwee."